Google announces closure of Album Archive: Learn how to back up your photos
Many users must have already received an email from Google informing them of the imminent closure of the Album Archive, a service that allows users to view and access images shared on various Google platforms, including the extinct Google Hangouts.
Google is now asking users to take action, and back up their content using Google Takeout before it’s too late. If you haven’t received an email yet, by visiting the Album Archive page in your Google account, you’ll see a banner at the top of the page notifying you that the content will be deleted on July 19, 2023.
According to the email sent by Google, any content available only on the Album Archive will be permanently deleted. This includes Google Hangouts data stored in the tool, background images uploaded through the pre-2018 Gmail theme chooser, small thumbnails, album comments and likes.
To make sure you don’t lose your important memories or files, Google recommends using Google Takeout. This service allows you to upload your content or transfer it to cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive, Box, OneDrive or Dropbox. For Workspace users, please note that admin permission is required to upload images or videos through Google Takeout.
To do this, go to the official Google Takeout website. Check the Album Archive and click Next Step. Choose the destination for your backup, the file type, its size and click on “Create an export”.
What are the alternatives to Album Archive?
Following the closure of the Album Archive on July 19, 2023, Google is offering additional options for users to view and manage their content through various other products.
- Blogger: If you want to view and manage your images, Blogger is a suitable platform.
- Google Account: Your default Google Account is another way to manage your past and current profile pictures.
- Google Photos: Google Photos is a widely used platform for storing and managing photo albums.
- Hangouts: Although Hangouts has been replaced by Google Chat, you can still recover attachments from Hangouts using Google Takeout.
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